


Sub Spark - A Matter of Control

by Sun_Spark



Series: Jarchie: Loving-Dom/Sub-Experiences [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Archie Andrews Needs a Hug, Archie has a bit of an anger issue, Caring Jughead Jones, Dom Jughead Jones, Dom/sub, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gentle Jughead Jones, Hurt Archie Andrews, Hurt/Comfort, Jughead helps him, Jughead's gonna give him one, Just not here, Light Angst, Light Dom/sub, M/M, No Sex, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Non-Sexual Submission, Nudity, Pet Names, Possessive Jughead Jones, Protective Jughead Jones, Robert Frost, Showers, Sub Archie Andrews, Whose Woods Are These, color system, reciting poetry, red-yellow-green, they did the do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-27 23:09:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19799677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sun_Spark/pseuds/Sun_Spark
Summary: Archie has been angry and agitated and snappish for days now, enough so to draw the attention of those around him. Jughead knows how to help him, the problem is Archie won't come to him. So Jughead takes matters into his own hands.~Or~Establish dom!Jug/sub!Archie - Archie is bad at asking for what he needs, but Jughead knows him well enough to read between the lines. Non-sexual submission/intimacy and lots of fluff after some angst.





	Sub Spark - A Matter of Control

**Author's Note:**

> I have never done a scene, as in I have never personally been part of a dom/sub relationship or done a scene therein. I wrote this to be as safe and consensual as I could with my understanding, based on reading and research and simply what I would imagine would make me feel safe and cared for. I know the red-yellow-green system is common, so I went with that. Take it with a grain of salt. I didn’t make it sexual, but rather an exercise of calming and loving care.
> 
> This is similar to, and technically a companion, to the fic I wrote titled "Sub Drop - An Excercise In Loving Care": https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/46282945?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_238136917

Fred was on his way out as the boys came in and Jughead stopped to greet him, Archie, however, muttered a quick greeting and ran up the stairs two at a time. Fred broke off his greeting to watch after his son worriedly. “Is he alright?”

Jughead grunted and shrugged, eyeing Archie’s retreating figure thoughtfully. “Dunno, he’s been a bit off all day.” 

Fred sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, “I’m supposed to be on the job site in ten minutes, I can’t really stay,” He peered at Jughead seriously, “unless I need to.” Jughead shrugged and shook his head, “Nah, I don’t think so.” Fred nodded and sighed, looking out the door at his truck. “Keep an eye on him will you?” Jughead grinned “Don’t worry, I’ll smack some sense into him if I have to.”

Fred laughed and walked out the door, shaking his head gently. Jughead watched him go with a grin and shut the door, locking it absent-mindedly to satisfy his anxiety as his grin fell into a frown. He turned and leaned back against the door, looking up the stairs and thinking. Up above the easily recognizable sounds of a backpack being tossed, shoes being kicked to the side, and things being ruffled around with too much force echoed down through the house. He tic'ed his jaw to the side and sighed quietly, making a decision. Silently, he made his way up the stairs and leaned against Archie’s doorframe, watching the other boy.

Archie had his back to him and he was bouncing around the room, rustling through things at random, all with too much aggression, agitation clear in every line of his body. Jughead sighed near silently through his nose, considering how to handle this. Archie had been on edge for a few days, but today had been especially bad. Archie had been a silent whirlwind through the school, lockers slamming too hard, doors opened too quickly and shut too rough, footsteps thudding through the halls like fast-paced thunder, face set in a tight expression, brows furrowed, and eyes darkened, none of their usual kind and happy spark to be found. He’d kept to himself all day, barely even bothering to speak with any of their friends and going so far as to avoid Jughead as the day wore on. At one point the usually kind boy had snapped at Veronica, barely keeping the full effect of whatever anger had settled under his skin to himself. Reggie hadn’t been so fortunate as that argument, filled with spitting words and burning anger that didn’t make sense, raged. That argument had come just shy of blows as Moose had gotten between them and pushed them apart. 

Now Archie’s agitation hadn’t seemed to have dissipated in the slightest, settling under his skin like a creeping infection, tanglewood veins interlocking under his exterior and sinking into his being to wrap their roots around his core. His movements were jerky, half aborted as if he was trying to stop the harshness in his movements, but he couldn’t, the agitation in him sending uncalled strength into his muscles making each movement angry and forceful. 

"Archie" he spoke it quietly, a low a steady sound. Archie jerked to a halt in the center of his room but didn't look back at him, snapping out "What?" harshly. 

Jughead didn't rise to the bait. Instead of snapping at him or getting angry, he calmly pushed away from the door frame and stepped up behind him, within an arm's reach. Carefully and deliberately, he reached out and pressed the middle and index fingers of his right hand into Archie's spine in his lower back. It was not enough to cause pain, but just shy of it.

Archie hissed angrily and shifted in place, arching his back and making to pull away. "What the **_hell_** Jug?!"

Jughead didn’t lose his calm, merely leaned forward ever so slightly and set his face over Archie's shoulder, not touching him yet. In a low, steady voice he quietly uttered a single word "Stop."

Archie stilled immediately, save the twitching in his arms, but remained as tightly corded as rebar. He growled audibly and Jughead merely raised a brown, considering him. 

Jughead tilted his head to the side while he thought, considering the boy in front of him. Archie was wound just shy of snapping, he looked like he wanted to fight, the twitching of his muscles and the set of his jaw indicating he was just shy of blowing up at Jughead. Yet he was still standing there, with two fingers pressed to his spine, silent, and doing as he was told.

Jughead took a slow breath and made a decision. Leaning forward just a little more, just enough so his lips would barely brush Archie's ear, he whispered a single firm word, " _Kneel._ "

Archie went still, completely, all twitching gone, his only movement the widening of his eyes and the sudden shaking in his legs. "W-what?!" It was almost panicked, defiant, and breathless. Jughead pressed his fingers in just a little harder and, tone never changing, said, "Kneel, Archie. Now."

Archie's knees all but buckled, sending him to the ground. Jughead hadn’t moved his hand, so his fingers had trailed up Archie's spine to rest between his shoulder blades. He held them there with a gentle pressure as he studied his friend.

Archie now sat with his legs folded under him, waiting there on his knees. His back was strained, trying to arch away from him and into his touch at the same time, and his hands...His hands rested atop his thighs, but they weren't relaxed, his fingers were clawed and they were pushing and pulling at his legs, just shy of frenzied. Despite this, a quiet whine sounded from his throat and his head was hanging to the side, his temple pressed desperately against Jughead's hip in apparent relief.

Jughead huffed a gentle laugh running the fingers of his other hand lightly through Archie’s hair snagging on the tangles the redhead hadn’t bothered trying to work out that morning. Archie whined and his head pressed further against Jughead’s hip, pressing up into his hand as well. Jughead calmly shifted his weight so he could stand more in front of Archie without dislodging his head from where it rested. Gently he ran the hand tangled in Archie’s locks through his hair and down to his neck, cupping the base of his skull lightly. Carefully he tangled his fingers in a fistful of the short hairs at Archie’s nape, tugging lightly and eliciting another whine from the boy.

Jughead smiled gently, if Archie was looking up at him he would have seen love and care shining in blue-green eyes. “Hey,” He breathed out softly. Archie whined and pressed the side of his face harder into the other boy’s hip, dull nails scratching along the lines of his jean-clad thighs. Jughead huffed a breath-filled laugh, tugging again at the hairs at Archie’s nape. “What’s gotten into you Arch, hmm?” A snarl sounded from Archie’s throat and tension snapped through him, setting iron bands through his back. Jughead growled lightly and tugged at his hair harshly. “ **Don’t.** ”

Archie whined, high and pitiful, and pressed his eyes shut, hanging his head and curling into himself, but his shoulders refused to relax, remaining taunt as a pulled bow. Jughead sighed quietly and knelt in front of him, gently pulling his head up by his grip in Archie’s hair. Archie did as he was bade but didn’t look at him. Jughead sighed quietly and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Archie’s lips, firm but gentle. Archie, for his part, keened and pressed back against him but barely made an effort to reciprocate. Jughead pulled away and rested his forehead against Archie’s.

“What’s wrong, huh?” He laid his cheek against Archie’s and held him lightly, rubbing nonsense patterns in the hair on the back of his head. “You’ve been agitated, angry almost, all day. And now,” He hummed quietly, nosing at Archie’s ear. “Now you can’t seem to decide if you want to fight me or give in.” Archie only made a lost sort of noise. Jughead nodded, more to himself than anything else, he sighed inwardly and decided he needed a baseline before he did anything, so in a commanding and firm voice he snapped: “Archie, Color.”

Archie startled, and the shock sent a tremor through his whole body, but he didn’t answer. Jughead sat back and looked him in the eye, keeping him still with the hand in his hair. He didn’t say anything, knew more than a firm stare wouldn’t be needed. Archie opened his mouth then closed it again. “I-“ He shook his head as much as he could in Jughead’s hold, frowning. Jughead waited. Archie bit his lip, honestly looking like he might cry as his gaze fell to the floor. “I…don’t know.”

Jughead considered him a moment, then decided to simplify while rubbing soothing circles over Archie’s shoulders and back. “What is it with me?” Archie bit his lip, staring at the floor. “Green…I think.” He whispered. Jughead hummed quietly, releasing the hair at Archie’s nape and instead running his fingers through the longer locks of red. “And why aren’t you sure about that?” He made sure to keep his tone calm and even, not wanting to spook the other boy.

Archie bit his lip and this time when he answered his voice broke, “Because… ** _everything_** else is just…” He shook his head, tears building but not yet falling. “ _Red._ ”

Jughead sighed quietly, biting back his automatic reaction to Archie’s pain. Carefully he pulled Archie forward, and this time the boy folded forward, burying his face in Jughead’s chest, shoulders curling inward. Jughead buried one hand in Archie’s hair and looped the other arm loosely around his back, holding him carefully. Even in this position tension still arched through Archie’s body like electricity looking for a grounding point.

Jughead set an even pattern to his breathing and chose a point on Archie’s wall to stare at, forcing himself to keep an even and steady cadence in everything. Idly, he continued to card his fingers through Archie’s hair, humming softly. For a few minutes they stayed there, Jughead maintaining a steady presence and calming melody under his breath, Archie pressing into him desperately, hands twisting into the sides of his shirt, random tremors violently running through his body. Finally, Jughead broke the silence, tone even, low, and calm.

“Archie.” He paused for a response but wasn’t overly concerned when he didn’t get one. “I can help you, if you want." He paused a moment, taking in the twisted frown between Archie's brows and on his lips. "If you'll let me.” A particularly violent tremor ran from shoulders to flank, and Jughead sighed softly. “Listen to me for a minute baby.” Archie didn’t speak, but nor did he move, so Jughead continued. “You carry the weight of the damn world on your shoulders, and you break under it. Veronica’s family, her mobster father, her drama; Betty’s not-brother, her psycho mother, her bipolar craziness; The Black Hood; My dad, the serpents, hell you’ve practically adopted them; keeping the Bulldogs in check, reigning them in, acting as the leader even though that isn’t your responsibility; Your father, his job; Everything, Archie, you hold all of it on your shoulders, and you won’t let any of it go.” He pressed a gentle kiss to Archie’s temple, whispering softly. “One of the reasons I love you so much, but you’re killing yourself. You don’t take care of yourself Archie, and you count every little thing that goes wrong in this hell-town as a failure on your part.” Archie grunted but Jughead didn’t let that sound become words, pressing gently to the back of his neck to keep him quiet.

He focused his gaze back on the wall. “I’m not asking you to change Archie, it’s too deeply written into your damn DNA, I know that. But that was the reason we started this, wasn’t it? To let me carry some of the weight for you? So you could let it go, even if for just a little bit?” He took a steadying breath and looked down at Archie, choosing his words carefully and measuring his tone. “You know I can take it, you know I can take care of you and not break Archie. You know I will, gladly. Will you let me?”

Archie’s breaths were harder and faster than they should have been, the tremors wracking his body making it appear as if he had just run a marathon. He didn’t raise his head, and Jughead didn’t push, letting him decide.

Something snapped, and Jughead could have sworn he saw it happen under the skin of Archie’s back, loosening between his shoulder blades so abruptly it must have hurt. A ragged, pained “ ** _Yes._** ” Fell desperately from Archie’s lips. 

Jughead nodded once to himself, deciding how to do this. After a moment he took a steadying breath and ducked his head to nose at Archie’s hair. “Alright.” He sat up and shifted back from Archie a few inches. “Hands in your lap Archie, keep them to yourself.” He spoke it gently, knowing any command he gave today would have to be laced with care and gentleness, but also that he needed to firmly take control of this, that Archie needed him to. The boy in question whined, a broken keening sound, but did as he was told without hesitation.

“Good boy.” He whispered softly. For a few minutes he sat there and calmly, rhythmically ran his fingers through Archie’s hair, scratching at his scalp gently. Archie sat through it, eyes closed and features slowly relaxing, even if the tension didn’t leave the rest of his body. A rhythmic scratching sound continued to fill the room and, in the silence, Jughead focused on it. Glancing down he saw Archie’s nails once again digging into his thighs, clawing over the denim from knee to hip and back again. Gently he tugged on Archie’s hair, stilling his hands and holding them there, tangling the red strands around his fingers with almost no pressure. 

“Stop that.” He rebuked softly, Archie’s brows furrowed. “Stop wha’?” The corner of Jughead’s mouth pulled up in amusement at the slurring, but he resisted the urge to snort or shake his head, instead giving a calm command. “Scratching.” It stopped immediately, but if the redhead held his arms any tenser the muscles may snap. “Lay your hands on your thighs, palms up Archie. Relax them.” The hands fell into position immediately, but it took several heartbeats for the tightness in his arms to begin loosening. Once it had Jughead continued stroking through his hair.

“Alright Archie, I want you to sit still, relax as much as you can, alright?” Archie nodded and that was answer enough for now. “Keep your eyes closed and count your breaths, ok? I want you to even them out, slow and steady, got it?” Archie whimpered quietly but nodded, doing as he was told. Jughead hummed in acknowledgment and focused on combing through Archie’s hair while he waited for the other’s breathing to even out. It took several minutes but once it did he hummed noncommittedly and idly tugged at the collar of Archie’s letterman jacket. 

“Color?” Archie raised his head as if to look at him but caught himself and kept his eyes shut. “Green.” He breathed out. Jughead hummed in acknowledgment. “Ok. Do you remember the poem you used to sing for me? The slow and melancholic one?” Archie nodded, “Yeah.” Jughead pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Good. Now I want you to recite it for me, slow and calm, ok? You don’t have to sing it, but I want you to keep your breathing measured while you do it, understand?”

Archie put his head back down and whispered, “Yeah.” It came out strained, but it was calm, so Jughead didn’t comment. He cupped one hand around the back of Archie’s neck and rubbed nonsense patterns there as the redhead’s voice began to sound in the room, low and quiet but strong.

_Whose Woods Are These, I Think I Know.  
His House Is in The Village, Though;_

An even breath, slow and steady.

_He Will Not See Me Stopping Here  
To Watch His Woods Fill Up With Snow._

Jughead dropped his hand lower, trailing it under jacket and shirt both to trace patterns into the skin between Archie’s shoulder blades, easy pressure and gentle scratching blending together as he went.

_My Little Horse Must Think It Queer  
To Stop Without a Farm House Near  
Between the Woods and Frozen Lake._

Jughead had always loved this poem for the haunting tone in carried, the beautiful scene easily as harrowing as it was serene. Archie knew this, and he had recited it many times in their childhood, laughed and said it was easier than memorizing a Grim Fairy Tale, and more beautiful anyhow. He never rushed these words, letting them fall from his lips in a slow, echoing timber. A lullaby or a horror, it could have fit either.

_The Darkest Evening of the Year_

Even in this low timber, he always let his voice keep a breathless quality, all the more beautiful to make the words and the picture they painted.

_He Gives His Harness Bells a Shake  
To Ask if There is Some Mistake._

He wasn’t singing it this time, not carrying the low and haunting, hypnotizing melody that normally accompanied these words, but somehow his voice was no less of a siren’s call to Jughead. He supposed he should be very grateful that his redheaded enchantress wished him no harm. For if he had, it wouldn’t have even taken a melody and Jughead would have already been gone

_The Only Other Sound’s the Sweep  
Of Easy Wind and Downy Flake_

Archie’s voice pitched down a note, as it always did for these final lines, and it always sounded to Jughead like the visage of night’s embrace where the sun once illuminated the forest trees.

_The Woods Are Lovely, **Dark, and Deep**_

A pause and a breath taken in, steady and slow, centering. It sent a shiver down Jughead’s spine to hear the edge of **_something_** in Archie’s voice; something that spoke of grim fairy tales, horror stories, and forests haunted by unknown creatures; of magic wild and slippery floating through the air, turning lazy sunset into thrilling night.

_But I Have Promises to Keep,  
And Miles to Go Before I Sleep…  
**Miles to Go Before I Sleep…**_

He had to take a steadying breath of his own, to shake off the spell Archie’s words always wove around him. In the silence heavy around them, he took stock of Archie’s current state. This had been an exercise of control, to force Archie to calm and center himself, to focus on these words like a meditation, like a spell woven in the air between them, magic old and deep to bind them together and right the world around them. It appeared to have worked, for while the lines of Archie’s body had not lost their tightness, the agitation still clear to be swimming under the surface, the lake's glassy face was unmarred by ripples at the moment. His breathing was deep and even, steady as he rested his head against Jughead’s collarbone.

Jughead pressed a gentle kiss to the boy’s temple, lingering there and whispering softly to him. “You can open your eyes now. You did well baby. You always do.” Archie made a whine like sound into his shoulder, but it sounded more pleased than distressed as it had before. Jughead smiled ever so slightly, letting them rest a moment before pressing one more kiss to Archie’s hair and pulling back.

“Come on” He whispered, gently pulling at Archie’s shoulders as he stood, pulling the other boy up with him. “Your Dad won’t be back for a couple hours, we’re gonna take a shower.” Archie frowned, his brows furrowing, but he didn’t argue or complain, following Jughead out of the room when he was pulled along. 

Jughead pulled him to the bathroom and then stopped, pinning him with a look “Stay there.” He let go and turned towards the shower, Archie did as he was told, eyes tracking his friend’s movements. Jughead began fiddling with the shower taps, balancing the finicky things so they wouldn’t burn or freeze them, he’d had years of practice but it still took a minute. Behind him he heard the sounds of Archie starting to shrug out of his letterman jacket, so calmly, without looking back he simply said, “No.” Archie froze and stared at him with wide eyes, but the other didn’t turn around. “I’ll do that, you just stand there and wait.”

He finished adjusting the water but didn’t turn around right away, letting Archie wait for a little bit. He smiled gently when he turned and saw that Archie had dropped his hands to his sides. He stepped forward and pressed close to him, curling his hands around the edges of his jacket and slipping it off his shoulders while pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. He draped it over the edge of the sink without looking away and proceeded to curl a hand in Archie’s hair, loosely looping the other arm around his waist and holding him close, pressing light kisses to his jaw. “Color, Archie?” He murmured.

“Green.” Was whispered back, barely loud enough to hear. Jughead grinned softly and leaned back a bit, not stepping away, and hooked his fingers under the hem of his shirt. He pressed a gentle, lazy kiss to Archie’s lips, only breaking away to pull the shirt over his head, back to kissing him before he’d even dropped it to the side. Archie raised his hands as if to grab at him but aborted the movement and let them drop again. Jughead pulled back just a few inches, carding his fingers through Archie’s hair carefully. “Color?”

Archie hummed quietly, tilting his head to nose at Jughead’s throat, quietly murmuring “Green.” Jughead hummed and nosed at his jaw, slowly and carefully reaching down to undo his jeans and push them down, along with his boxers. That done he set his hands back on Archie’s waist and kissed his jaw lightly. “Still green?” Archie nodded, followed by a quiet “Yeah.” 

“Mm, alright then.” He reached down and laced his fingers with Archie’s. “Come’ere.” He stepped back, gently pulling Archie with him. Carefully, he pivoted them, switching their positions and pushing Archie back towards the shower. “Climb in.” Archie did as he was bade and stepped into the shower, but when Jughead went to step away he refused to let go of one of his hands, eliciting a laugh from the raven-haired boy and earning him a kiss. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving baby, just need to undress.” Archie frowned but let his hand drop, watching as Jughead set his beanie next to his jacket on the sink and shed the rest of his clothing without care, dropping it to the side. Without preamble he stepped into the shower next to Archie, slid the curtain shut, and threaded his hands through damp red hair, pulling him close to kiss him softly. 

Archie didn’t move except to kiss back and a glance down, revealing his hands clenched at his sides, confirmed Jughead’s suspicions. He didn’t care to back away so he spoke the words softly against the redhead’s lips. “You can move Archie, you don’t have to keep your hands at your sides right now.” 

Immediately Archie’s hands came up, but they stopped short, hovering over Jughead’s sides. Another chaste kiss. “You can touch me, Archie, it’s ok.” Archie whined quietly and his hands were immediately gripping at Jughead’s sides, desperately and just shy of painfully. Jughead didn’t complain though, let the other boy ground himself and cling to him. “Color?”

Archie actually laughed softly at that, it was a welcome, if out of place, sound to Jughead. “Still Green Jug.” Jughead just grinned. “I’ll ask you as many times as I like, and the second it’s not green you tell me, got it?” Archie looked away slowly, not in avoidance but rather bashful fondness, as a small, tired smile grew on his lips. “Yeah, I remember the rules Jug. ‘m good.”

Jughead grinned and pressed a kiss to the corner of his jaw. “Ok then. I’m going to wash you, alright?” He pulled back a bit to catch Archie’s eye. “You stand still, got it?”

Archie nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

Jughead smiled, pressing a kiss to the end of his nose. “Ok.”

Archie did as he was told and stood still, waiting, hands at his sides again as Jughead gathered up a shower pouf and soap. Turning back he pressed a quick kiss to Archie’s lips and started rubbing it over his shoulders and chest. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on the side of Archie’s neck and stepped around him, trailing kisses over his neck as he went. Once he was standing behind him he let the puff trail around Archie’s side and over his hip, bringing it up over his back to his shoulders. Loosely he curled his free arm around Archie’s stomach and rested his chin on his shoulder. 

Archie’s arms came up, one forward and the other out to the side, hands pressing into the shower walls and fingers curling into claws there, as if he were afraid he would fall if he didn’t find something to hold onto. His head was bowed and his breathing picked up again. Jughead stopped, the stupidly blue-green colored shower puff resting between Archie’s shoulder blades. 

“Archie?” He made sure to keep it even and quiet, a quiet murmur more than loud enough with his lips only a few inches from the other boy’s ear. The sound emitted from Archie’s throat may have been a whine, or perhaps a grunt, or a groan, Jughead wasn’t sure. He pressed a careful kiss to the side of Archie’s neck. “Color?”

“ ** _Green._** ” Jughead frowned into Archie’s shoulder. That had come out far more strained than he ever wanted to hear unless he himself had intentionally caused it. Carefully he ran the tips of his fingers lightly down Archie’s ribs, sending a shiver through the other boy. “Do you trust me, Archie?”

Archie did whine then, and the sound broke off into a strained “ ** _Yes._** ”

Jughead pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Alright then.” He trailed the hand that had been resting on Archie’s stomach up over his chest to his shoulder, watching his own fingertips slide over the damp skin as they continued their path along his arm to his wrist, gently grasping there. “Then let your arms drop. Let go, lean back against me, and trust me.” He tugged gently at Archie’s arm, not enough to dislodge it, but enough to be felt. A tremor ran through Archie’s body, but slowly the fingers on his left hand unfurled from where they’d been clawing at the wall, and he let his arm slowly drop down, Jughead never letting go of his wrist.

The arm now at his side, Jughead kept a light hold around his wrist, thumb rubbing gently at the skin there for a handful of heartbeats. He pressed a gentle kiss to Archie’s neck again. “Now the other one, on your own.” He watched as a second tremor ran through his boy and, for a moment, he wondered if Archie wouldn’t be able to do this for him today, but slowly, ever so slowly, his hand uncurled and that arm sunk down to his side as well. 

Jughead pressed a gentle kiss behind his ear, sending another shiver through him as he whispered, “Good boy.” Releasing Archie’s wrist, he wrapped his arm back around his stomach and pulled him back carefully. Archie’s back met his chest, and though the redhead supported the majority of his own weight, he leaned back against Jughead, letting the raven-haired boy hold him up.

His breathing was still too fast and too hard, so Jughead rested his chin on Archie’s shoulder and leaned their heads together. “Can you feel my heartbeat Archie?” The redhead nodded, feeling the steady pulse gently pushing against his shoulder blade. Jughead hummed in lieu of a nod. “Use it. Steady your breathing baby boy.”

Archie bit his lip and let his head tip back, resting it against Jughead’s shoulder, eyes pressed closed. Slowly, painstakingly, he focused on the steady rocking pulse against his back and forced his breathing back into the even pattern it had been in before. It was obvious when he had calmed and Jughead pressed a kiss to his throat. “Good boy.”

Archie sighed and tried to relax against him, but he’d been tense all day and his body refused to comply. Jughead grinned against his neck and tilted his chin up, nosing at his ear. “Let’s see if we can do something about that, hmm?” 

Quickly but carefully he ran the shower puff over the rest of Archie’s body before setting it to the side, then, using the soap in place of oil, he started at Archie’s shoulders and began massaging the muscles there. Slowly and carefully he worked the lines of tension out of his shoulders, then worked his way down one arm, and then the next. Archie stood still for him, head hanging lax and eyes slid shut. Jughead pressed a kiss to the back of his neck, tangling their fingers together briefly. Slowly, he traced his hands up Archie’s arms to his shoulders, grasping them gently.

“Ok baby, I need to you stand up now.” Archie made a tired, mumbled sound that probably would have translated to words if he’d been more coherent, and tried to stand up, swaying dangerously. Jughead, more or less anticipating this, kept a firm hold on his shoulders, chuckling lightly. He nosed at Archie’s ear and whispered to him, amusement clear in his tone. “Set your hands against the wall to steady yourself, and spread your legs a bit for balance.” Archie did as he was told and was soon able to stand more or less on his own. Jughead merely chuckled and pressed a line of kisses into his shoulder. 

Carefully, he started at Archie’s shoulder and worked his way down his back, taking what was likely nearly fifteen minutes to get the majority of the knots out of his muscles. The center of his back just under his shoulder blades was a nightmare and Jughead tutted softly. “You shouldn’t do this Archie.”

Archie twitched, and if he hadn’t been forcibly relaxed at this point it would have likely been a far more jerky movement. “Do what?” Jughead almost sighed at the edge of panic in the redhead’s voice, he forgot sometimes how vulnerable Archie could be when he got worked up and was forced to come back down to the opposite end of the spectrum. Pausing in his ministrations he looped his arms loosely around the other’s midsection and kissed his shoulder. Carefully and softly he whispered, “You shouldn’t let it get this bad, baby boy.” Another kiss to soften his words. “When you start getting like this you should come get me d-“ He cut himself off, the words ‘damn it’ would be quite normal in his speech pattern, but right now, even spoken quietly, they would likely be too harsh for Archie to hear. He breathed through his nose slowly, choosing his words carefully. “We started this because you trusted me to take care of you Archie, but I can’t do that if you don’t let me.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of Archie’s jaw. “I can’t take care of you if you don’t come to me when you have a bad day, I can’t do anything if you don’t trust me to play my role in this.” He pressed his forehead into Archie’s shoulder, arms tightening around him almost desperately. “Please Archie, for the love of god, _please **let me.**_ ”

Archie hung his head and took a shaky breath. “I know.” He whispered shakily. “ _I know, Jug._ I just-“ He sighed, “I hate putting all my crap on top of yours. Especially now…” His voice became small, “when it gets so bad all the time…”

Jughead sighed, reaching up to run a hand through Archie’s hair. “I know baby, I know. That’s practically hardwired into your DNA. But you have to let me, please Archie.” He cupped Archie’s jaw lightly and turned his head towards him, looking him in the eye. “Listen to me, and listen carefully: This is not a burden to me.”

Archie’s jaw tic’ed, the muscles jumping, and he appeared like he wanted to argue, but Jughead pressed more firmly against his jaw, silently telling him to keep quiet. “This wasn’t a burden when it started, it’s not a burden now. I wanted to do it then and I want to do it now.” He took a breath, swirling blues and greens staring into browns and fiery ambers. “I would do anything to take care of you Archie, that hasn’t changed in **_years._** Taking care of you gives me a purpose, it makes me happy. Do you understand me?” He raised Archie’s jaw a fraction higher, ensuring the taller boy’s stare was meeting his own. “I’m not sacrificing anything to take care of you. This means as much to me as it does to you.”

He watched for a moment as the shifting emotions made the different shades of brown, amber, and honey swirl and change in the redhead’s eyes. Slowly, Archie looked to the side and dropped his neck just the tiniest bit to bow his head, Jughead let him, his hold now a point of comfort and not a command. Quietly, so painstakingly soft that Jughead almost didn’t hear it, Archie reverently whispered, “ _I know._ ”

Jughead smiled softly. “Yeah, and I understand that sometimes you get lost in your own head, and you forget that, but it’s ok.” He leaned forward to nuzzle at Archie’s jaw softly for a moment. “You just need to remember to come to me baby, it’s ok.” 

A whine left Archie’s throat, high and pitiful, and he ducked his head as a few tears gathered on his lashes, falling silently down his face. Jughead held him close and tilted his chin back up. “It’s ok Baby, you don’t need to hide from me.” Archie shifted his weight towards him but stopped halfway, Jughead grinned softly and opened his arms enough for Archie to move. “Come’ere.”

Archie shifted and turned towards him, burying himself in Jughead’s arms, hiding his face in the crook of his neck. Jughead held him, threading a hand through his hair, and let the other boy cling to him. They stayed there for a while, but soon the water had started to run cold and by this point any remaining soap had been washed from their skin, so Jughead gently pulled at Archie’s hair to lift his head and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Come on Arch, let’s get dressed.”

Carefully, seeing as Archie was swaying more than a little bit, Jughead guided him out of the shower and to the center of the bathroom, squeezing his arms gently as a silent encouragement to wait. Turning around he opened the cabinet under Archie’s sink and had to snort quietly, shaking his head at what he saw there. Neither of the Andrews’ men took a great deal of care where things like towels were concerned, all of theirs being more than a tad worn and a little threadbare. Normally Jughead wouldn’t care about that, he would have just been happy to have a towel to use that he hadn’t smuggled away from the school gym, but when he had started taking care of Archie more than a few overbearing instincts had woken up. Now normally he curtailed his overprotectiveness, his need to stay by Archie’s side or to do stupid little things like bringing him what he needed, and usually he made the attempt to play the part of a best friend and locked away any inkling of the dominant and possessive side this had roused in him, and boy wasn’t that fun around idiot jocks like Reggie! But on little details he didn’t hide away the more than a little overbearing instincts to take care of his boy, which is why there were four soft white, fluffy towels folded in the cabinet in Archie’s bathroom. The amusing thing was that Archie seemed not to use them unless Jughead was here.

He shook his head lightly, he could deal with that later. For now, he wrapped one of them around his waist and grabbed another, turning to Archie. He grinned at the sight of the redhead, exhausted as he was from too many emotional extremes in one day, leaning against the wall and half asleep standing up. Chuckling quietly he stepped forward and gently started drying him off with careful strokes and easy pats. When the majority of the water was no longer dripping from Archie’s frame he wrapped the towel around his waist and took his hands, pulling at him gently.

“Come on baby, let’s go.” 

Carefully, he lead Archie back into his bedroom, suppressing his laughter as the boy more or less stumbled after him. Once there he bade Archie stop in the center of the room with a kiss, leaving him there to turn to the dresser and pull out clothing. When he turned around, clothing in hand, he could not help but smile lovingly at the sight before him; Archie, it seemed, had let go of 90% of the tension he’d been carrying around, and now stood loose and tired, so much so that he may very well fall over if Jughead didn’t get him settled soon. 

“Alright Archie, let’s get you dressed.” He murmured softly, setting the shirt aside for now. “Lift up your leg for me.” 

Archie moved to do as he was told, and promptly began to lose his footing, dangerous swaying turning into falling. Jughead caught him swiftly around the waist with a laugh and nudged at the corner of his jaw with his nose. “Put your hands on my shoulders to support you, yeah? Don’t need you falling over just yet Arch.”

Archie mumbled a quiet response that didn’t actually sound like words so much as agreeable noises and raised his arms to comply, missing the mark twice before his hands curled over Jughead’s shoulders. Jughead grinned and rewarded him with a quick kiss. “Alright, left leg first.”

Over the next minute or so, Jughead slowly eased a pair of comfortable red boxer briefs up Archie’s legs. Archie was still swaying quite a bit, so he paused and took the time to card his fingers through Archie’s locks, applying just enough pressure on the strands to tug them lightly. “Hey,” He ducked his head down to catch Archie’s eye. “You doing ok?”

Archie nodded dazedly. Jughead hummed without comment, “What’s your color Arch?” Archie raised his head up from where it had been hanging and blinked at him tiredly. “Gr’n.” Jughead just smiled and chuckled, kissing Archie chastely. “Good enough.” 

Reaching out blindly to the side he gathered up the dropped shirt, an oversized thin sweater, one that would provide far more comfort than it ever would warmth. “Let’s get your arm’s in Archie.” Slowly, nearly painstakingly with Archie falling asleep on his feet, Jughead worked one arm, then the other, through the sleeves of the sweater, then lifted it over Archie’s head. He had to bite back a grin at the picture Archie made now: Maroon boxer-briefs barely peeking out beneath the hem of the mid-thigh sweater, the sleeves of the grey material dangling past Archie’s fingers and the collar stretched too wide over the years now showing off his collar bone, his hair completed the look almost humorously, the damp strands soft and sticking out at odd angles. 

Jughead hid a smile in another kiss and let his laughter color his words when he pulled back. “Come on Arch, sit down for me.” Gently, he turned Archie so his back was to the bed and walked him backwards the two steps it took for the mattress to brush against his legs. Archie nudged at his jaw, a silent question, one Jughead had no reason to refuse, so he locked their lips together in another kiss as he curled his hands over the redhead’s shoulders and gently, but firmly, pushed him down. 

Archie sat back on the bed without hesitation and Jughead nearly followed him, not breaking their kiss until Archie’s back met the wall. As much as he would have liked to follow the other boy onto the bed, he pulled back then for want of clothing of his own. 

Cupping the boy’s jaw, Jughead trailed his thumb over Archie’s slightly swollen lower lip. The redhead watched him with lidded eyes and Jughead met that tired, trusting gaze with his own affectionate one. “Let me get dressed, then we’ll rest.” Archie gave no indication that he would offer resistance, or even complain, merely sat still where he was, hands limp in his lap and his head leaned back against the blue-grey wall. Jughead chuckled and stood, letting his hand fall away. He watched for a moment, gauging Archie’s reaction and emotions, but the only response he got was steady breathing and tired amber eyes watching him. Panic averted and stress removed apparently. 

That settled in his mind he turned and grabbed a borrowed pair of underwear and an old T-shirt he’d left over here by mistake, a grey one with a faded red S on its front. He threw them on without much care and toweled his hair dry, tossing the towel next of Archie’s on the desk chair when he was through. 

Without preamble, he turned again and climbed onto the bed, settling next to Archie on the side closer to the window, shoving a pillow behind himself before leaning back against the wall. Then, and pretty much only then, he allowed himself he take a deep breath, focusing on calming himself for a moment rather than Archie. Absentmindedly, his fingers trailed up Archie’s arm and back down to his wrists, following a mindless, soothing pattern. With a quiet sigh he stilled that hand, wrapping it around Archie’s forearm gently. “Alright Archie, come’ere.”

He placed the second pillow on his lap and, with a gentle tug, he pulled Archie sideways to lay across him. Archie obliged easily and readily, laying out over Jughead’s legs and curling into him ever so slightly, his shoulders supported by the pillow, and his head resting on Jughead’s opposite shoulder with a contented sigh. Jughead wrapped his arms around Archie carefully, one over his stomach and under his back, the other around his shoulders, hand lazily trailing through his hair. 

For a few moments they stayed like that, the final traces of tensions melting away from Archie’s body in Jughead’s hold. There wasn’t anything to hear other than soft steady breathing, the quiet ticking of the alarm clock almost lazy in the evening sun, and the chirping of a single songbird outside the window. Jughead ducked his head and pressed a light kiss to Archie’s lips, and this time the boy responded readily, if a bit lazily, lost in a stupor as he was. Jughead’s smile broke the kiss, but he didn’t pull away, seeing fit to mummer what he had to say against the redhead’s lips instead. 

“You’re an amazing boyfriend Archie,” He pulled back a fraction of a centimeter, only as far as needed so he could see Archie’s face. He grinned when he saw the flush building there. “And a beautiful submissive.” He was definitely blushing now, but he didn’t look away, sun-lit whiskey eyes holding Jughead’s gaze with adoration. “I only wish you’d let me take care of you more.”

The small smile Archie treated him was sheepish, and Jughead knew it was both an apology and a promise: An apology for fighting both Jughead and his own needs, and a promise not to be so stubborn in the future. He met that smile with a small, loving grin of his own and rocked Archie, just once, gently in his arms. “Close your eyes, Archie. It’s time to rest my love.”

Archie’s eyes blinked slowly closed and didn’t open nearly as far as before, yet his bright gaze never left Jughead’s as he curled further into his partner. In a few seconds those eyes ceased to blink open, sliding shut and holding in place for a time. Jughead breathed a quiet sigh of relief and watched as exhaustion took its toll. In less than a minute Archie was fast asleep in Jughead’s arms. 

Jughead shifted his weight carefully and settled in to hold his boyfriend for a few hours. Ducking his head he pressed a gentle kiss to Archie’s forehead, whispering a soft “I love you.” into his skin. He yawned then, mentally exhausted in ways he hadn’t been physically. Turning his head, he rested his cheek against Archie’s hair and let his own blue-green eyes fall shut.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are amazing but I really love talking with my readers, so comment, please!! <3 Three words or an essay or anything in between, I'll love you for it!


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